Love Wasn't the Deal
by chocolateverries
Summary: Love is beautiful. Love is scary. It's irrational. It's wise. But love also hurts. But is it worth risking? A case involving a tragic love story opens Jules's eyes to what Love really is.


**A/N: I don't own Flashpoint or the beautiful song by Kodaline, All I Want. This include the whole team and JAM! Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to review!**

Sam Braddock loved his job as a highly trained police officer in the SRU. He joined the elite force at the age of 27, after serving the military for 11 years. He had been in the SRU for 6 months now and he loved every aspect of the job. The weaponry, the action, the stealth, the speed, his teammates. All of it. But his favorite part of it all was working alongside the sexy and beautiful female sniper, Jules Callaghan.

Jules was brave, confident, full of energy, and fiercely loyal. In the Team, she contributed as sniper, rappelling expert, and the boss's second. And she was only 25. Although, she had been there only a year and therefore still technically a rookie, the team treated her like family and with equal respect. Honestly, her skills were beyond everyone.

It wasn't a wonder he had completely fallen in love with her.

The girl had him wrapped around her little finger and she didn't even know it. She invaded his thoughts and senses. Her smile lit up his day and her lingering touches gave him hope. He, a highly trained officer and veteran of special forces, had his walls broken down by a petite brunette with mad skills. Wow.

"Sam?"

Speak of the devil...

"Are you sleeping on the job?"

His gaze drifted to the brunette, a mischievous smile on her face. She threw him the sniper rifle she was holding with ease.

"Your turn."

Confused for only a second, he remembered the team was working on their shots in the gun range in partners. Due to his wonderful luck, he was stuck with the one person that distracted him.

Shaking his head, he walked over to the target, letting out an impressed whistle at her accomplishment. She hit the mark all ten times. He turned slightly to see her beaming, a challenge in her eyes.

Challenge accepted. All fifteen of his shots hit the mark. He couldn't keep the smug grin off his face as she glared.

Parroting her words, he grinned, "Your turn."

She snatched the rifle from his hands and began her shots. While he allowed himself to stare again.

They went on for another hour before Ed called the team to the training grounds outside.

"Alright, team! Today we will be working on -"

He was cut off by alarms and Winnie's voice. "Team One, hot call! Shots fired at St. Thomas hospital!"

Immediately everyone jumped into action, listening to the details of the situation on their headsets. It was go time.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

Letting the water wash off the remains of the day, Sam sighed. It was a difficult, 10 hour long call. The subject was a young girl who refused to accept her mother's death and therefore turned violent with the hospital staff who tried convincing her otherwise. The girl took hostages and attempted to 'rescue' her mother. Meaning, she tried  
abducting a corpse. In the end the girl attempted suicide by cop. When that didn't work, she shot herself.

Later, they learned the girl had an abusive father and no siblings. Her mom was her everything. On top of that, the girl already suffered from chronic depression. She was a ticking time bomb.

Of the whole team, Jules was visibly affected the worst. She negotiated with the girl and connected with her. She became emotionally attached because she truly understood what the girl was going through. Sam didn't know the whole story, but Spike did tell him Jules had lost her mother at a young age.

His heart ached for her.

Stepping out of the shower, he wrapped a towel around his torso and proceeded to get dressed at the back of the locker room. After getting fully dressed, he headed for his locker. Nearing his locker, he could hear concerned voices having a whispered conversation.

"Is she going to be okay?" Lew.

"Of course, we'll make sure of it." Ed.

"Should someone go talk to her?" Spike.

Sigh. "She already went home. We should let her rest and see how she's doing tomorrow." Greg.

"The boss has a point guys, there's nothing we can do but be there for her." Wordy.

Uncertain OKs laced with worry were murmured by the team.

Sam waited for each of them to leave before grabbing his duffel and heading out the door. He was going to go talk to Jules. Having experienced many difficult situations in the army, he knew letting someone stew in their self-pity wouldn't do them any good. It made things worse.

Mind made up, he asked Winnie for Jules's address, ignoring her speculative look, and drove towards Jules's home. He did make one stop on the way. Ice cream.

Parking his car outside her townhouse, behind her jeep, he turned off the ignition and hesitated for a second before heading towards her front door, ice cream container clutched in one hand. Knocking twice, he held his breath.

The door opened cautiously and Jules peeked out, her brown curls gently framing her beautiful face. His heart sped up.

"Sam? What are you doing here?"

"It was a tough call, I'd figured you'd want someone to talk to."

She sighed disapprovingly. But he went on, undeterred.

"And I thought you might want this." He raised up the container of cookies and cream ice cream, her favorite.

She raised an eyebrow and hesitated but opened the door wider in silent invitation nonetheless.

When he fully saw her, Sam's breath caught. He had never seen her outside of work before and seeing her in tight yoga pants and a tank top with her hair gently flowing down her back made his heart stop. She truly was a sight to behold. So carefree and young. Always beautiful.

She must have caught him staring because an uncharacteristic faint blush spread from her cheeks.

And before he could process what happened, his lips were on hers in a passionate embrace. The kiss was rough and full of lust. He dropped the ice cream to the floor and pulled up her legs to wrap around his torso. He carried her upstairs, never once breaking contact.

They made love all night, igniting the fire that had been burning since they both first saw each other. Unfortunately, Jules confessed to not wanting an actual relationship and tried to apologize for her actions. He saw pain in her eyes that made him believe there was more to it but didn't ask. Sam's heart broke but he told her not to apologize and if she ever needed someone to call him.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

"Can you come over?"

Sam reread the text message Jules sent him after a difficult call at work. This was the third time in a month that she asked for him. He knew it was wrong, they shouldn't be doing this. She was his best friend, his partner and colleague. And sometimes it felt like she was playing with his emotions by keeping him at arms length.

But he could never say no to her. He was addicted to her. To her kisses, touches, and smiles. To her laughing, teasing, and talking.

So, revving up his motorbike, he headed in the direction of his lover's house **.**

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

Jules looked over at the sleeping form beside her. He looked so peaceful and happy. It was contagious. She reached over and wove her fingers through his golden hair. Love surged in her heart but she expertly pushed it down. Making sure the lock was in place. She won't let it hurt her again.

She isn't the type of girl that does one night stands or has friends with benefits. But she finds herself seeking Sam out, because no matter what she's led him to believe, it's never just sex. He offers comfort, lets her know she is going to be okay. She's addicted to him and she can't help it.

She allowed her hand to reach down and rub his back gently. It was time for him to leave.

"Sam, wake up."

The ex-soldier, a light sleeper, woke up instantly. His blue orbs twinkling.

"Hey, Jules."

She chuckled. "Hey, Braddock."

He got up and started collecting his clothes from around the room. "What time is it?"

"8. We have night shift today."

Sam groaned. "Damn. Ed's running drills today."

"You tired soldier? I thought you had stamina." She teased

He glared playfully. "I do. I've showed you, haven't I?" He paused. "I'm just saying cuz Ed always picks on me. He hates me cuz I was fast tracked and cuz he can't shake off the military training." He paused, glancing at her. "And because he thinks I'm pursuing you."

Jules pulled on one of his t-shirts and sat on the edge of her bed. "Sam, you have to understand Ed is an alpha male and so are you. You two just butt heads. He doesn't hate you. He's just pushing you to your maximum." She smiled. "And you will always be a soldier at heart. No one can take that." She chuckled. "And he doesn't have the last part so wrong. If only he knew."

Sam smiled. "Thanks Jules."

"Anytime Soldier."

"And if only he knew that you were pursuing me."

They both burst out laughing as Jules threw a pillow at him.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

Carrie Levine wiped away stray tears with a shaky hand. If she was going to do this, she had to get herself together.

She inhaled and exhaled deeply before following the elderly couple into the theater. There was a special production of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The irony wasn't lost on her.

She sat right behind the couple as they settled down in their seats on the edge. How convenient. She sat through the first half of the film, patiently waiting. Taking out her tablet right before the second half could begin, she typed in code and commands, easily hacking into the cinema's simple system. Really, it was a piece of cake.

Startled screams and frantic whispers filled the cinema as the lights went out and Kodaline's All I Want began playing over the speaker system.

 _All I want is nothing more_

Carrie used the chaos as disguise for her next move as she approached the worried elderly couple.

 _Than to hear you knocking at my door_

The older woman let out a startled gasp as she felt the nuzzle of a gun on her back.

 _'Cause if I could see your face once more_

The husband turned wide eyes on the scene beside him. His eyes trained on the gun held to his wife's back by a masked stranger.

 _I could die a happy man I'm sure_

The masked woman snarled, "If you don't want her to die, follow me out quietly."

 _When you said your last goodbye_

The man obliged with a stoic nod and followed the woman out the back exit into the cold, dark night. She ushered them into a black four-door Honda. He sat in the back and the masked woman forced his wife to the front seat. The masked woman had one hand on the steering wheel and the other training the gun on his very frightened wife.

Finally he found his voice. "What do you want? Who are you?"

The woman had the audacity to laugh. She yanked off her mask at a red light and both of the other occupants let out a disbelieving gasp.

"Carrie?"

"I almost thought you'd forgotten me Mr. Johnson."

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

Spike grasped Jules's arm and pulled her behind him. He shot her a glare and whispered. "Not yet, Shorty!"

She shot him a murderous glare at the nickname as she pressed herself against the lockers, hiding behind him. "Then when?" She was careful to keep her voice low.

They heard a door closing and two voices saying goodbye to the departing teammate.

"Now!" He whispered as he motioned to her to go to the other side of the lockers. She hardly made a sound as she got into position, gun firmly in hand. She gave a thumbs up. Ready.

He clutched his own gun. He would go first. He trained the gun on his target. The man in question was packing up as he talked to his partner beside him.

Spike pulled the trigger.

Lew startled, feeling at his back. Confused, he looked around.

"You okay?" Sam glanced at his friend while he folded his civilian clothes to put in his locker.

"Yeah. I thought I felt something. Nevermind."

Spike clutched his stomach to keep from laughing. He gave Jules the go.

"Ow!" Sam yelped slapping a hand to the back of his neck. He looked around suspiciously. "The hell?"

Lew was now on high alert as well, scanning the locker room.

Spike looked at Jules who was barely keeping in her laughter. He gave her a thumbs up. They both fired again.

"Okay! That's it! I definitely felt something!" Lew exclaimed.

Sam and Lew shared a look as they heard fits of laughter from behind the lockers. Sure enough, when they rounded the corner, Spike and Jules were bent over in laughter.

"There you are." At the sound of Sam's voice, Spike and Jules jumped up, running toward the exit.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

Sam and Lew chased after them but they slipped and fell on their asses before they could even start.

They realized they had stepped on slippery hair oil.

Jules and Spike could hear their yelled threats from outside the locker room door.

Through fits of laughter they did a high five.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

"Okay I give up. What did you two do?" Ed turned towards Spike and Jules, who were struggling to hold in laughter. Sam and Lew were glaring, shifting uncomfortably in their chairs every other minute.

Jules brown eyes widened innocently. "Nothing."

Spike clasped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing.

Greg gave them an amused look, raising an eyebrow. "This has both of your names written all over it."

"Sure does." Sam mumbled. He gave Jules a playful glare to which she grinned widely.

Wordy crossed his arms and gave them a reprimanding look, making the culprits feel like little children. "Spill. Now." He tried to sound angry, but the smile on his face betrayed him.

Spike opened his mouth to explain, but was interrupted by the blaring of alarms and Winnie's voice.

"Team One! Hot Call! Possible kidnapping at Richmond Theater!"

Jules immediately jumped out of her seat. "Saved by the bell!"

Spike ran after her laughing giddily.

Sam and Lew shared a look. They would get their payback later.

The older men of Team One shook their heads. Kids these days.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

"Okay Winnie, what do we have?" Greg adjusted his head piece as Ed drove out of the parking garage, sirens blaring.

"According to witnesses, an elderly couple went missing from the theater right after some strange things occurred."

"What strange things?" Jules asked.

"Well, the lights went off after the first part of the movie and a song began playing through the speaker system."

"Do we have names on the missing people?" Ed had a bad feeling about this.

"No. Sorry guys that's all I have."

"Thanks Winnie." Greg shared a look with Ed. Were they even sure this was a kidnapping? "Alright Team, so far this is a suspected kidnapping. Spike, I want you to access their CCTV system and see if we can spot anything suspicious. Ed, you go with Sam and clear the building. Wordy, Lew, I want you at the entrances and exits making sure no one exits or enters the building. Jules, we'll go talk to the witnesses. "

Various copies were heard from the team.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

Shock turned to anger as Mr. Johnson glared at the young woman. "Why are you doing this? We've done nothing to you!"

"Carrie, why don't you stop the car so we can talk? Huh, honey?" Mrs. Johnson was a bit calmer despite her situation.

Carrie seethed. "You both are the reason my life is over! You took him from me! You killed Chris!" Carrie turned back towards the road and continued driving. "Now it's my turn to make you suffer."

Mr. Johnson seethed. "You're not gonna get away with this Carrie! We have done nothing to you! All you're gonna get out of this is a long time in prison!"

Carrie stayed quite, eerily quiet as Mr. Johnson continued ranting while Mrs. Johnson attempted to calm him down.

Finally the car came to a rolling stop at a nice cabin, miles from the main highway. Mr. Johnson blinked, realizing too late that he should have paid attention to where they were going instead of allowing himself to be blinded by rage. Carrie stepped out of the car, gun always pointed at his wife, and ordered him to get out and walk towards the cabin. He obliged as she followed behind him with his wife.

"Now, open the door softly. Any sudden movements and..." She made a motion of pulling the trigger.

Mr. Johnson did as he was asked and slowly opened the door. The cabin was relatively small and cozy. The main room had a stocked fireplace at the front and two plush sofas. Further back a door led to what he deducted was the kitchen. He could see a small round table with two chairs. Everything was so tidy, too tidy as if the living room belonged at the front cover of a home magazine. Carrie pushed them passed the living room, through the kitchen and out the back door where he spotted two sheds a fair distance apart.

They approached the first shed, a worn out structure of wood, and Carrie opened the door, ordering him inside. He complied. He heard chains and clicks as he was flooded in darkness. Alone.

Carrie walked Mrs. Johnson to the second shed. "Why are you doing this Carrie?"

"Because I want you to feel what I felt for what you did to me." With that, Carrie shoved the older woman inside. Locking the second shed securely with chains and locks as well.

She looked up to the clouds and muttered. "Now they'll know what we felt Chris. The suffocating loneliness."

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

The first thing the team, minus Spike who was in the command truck, noticed when they entered the theatre was the song. It was playing softly over the speakers, as if being whispered into an abyss.

Everyone broke off to do their tasks. Ed and Sam began clearing the hallways and rooms surrounding the main auditorium. Wordy went to assign unis to the back exits with orders of not letting anyone in or out, while he and Lew took the two main entrances. Greg and Jules made their way over to some witnesses, a young couple who had been sitting beside the suspected missing couple.

"Hello, my names is Sgt. Parker and this is Constable Jules Callaghan. We would like to ask you some questions about the people that were sitting beside you."

They both nodded, although nervously.

Jules smiled at the girl. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Valerie."

"Okay Valerie, what do you remember about the people sitting next to you? Were they fidgety or calm?"

Valerie thought hard. "It was an elderly couple. They looked calm."

The boy piped up. "There was this woman sitting begin them. Watching them. She was younger. Black hair, I think. It was kinda dark in the theatre even before the lights went out."

Greg nodded. "Can you describe the elderly couple?"

Valerie nodded. "Yeah the lady had snow white hair and wore a white blouse with a blue floor length skirt. She was skinny and tall. The guy was fit and wore a suit...and that's all I remember."

"It's okay." Jules assured. "Do you remember specific facial features on any of the three persons?"

They both shook their heads, again explaining it was too dim for that.

"Thank you for your help. Go back to your seats and await further instructions from the officers." Jules said. Once the teens walked away she turned towards Greg. "That's not a lot to go off of."

"We don't even know if they were abducted. That could have been their daughter." Ed piped in over the headsets.

Greg lifted his cap, rubbing his head. "Spike?"

The Italian genius began talking. "CCTVs are no good because it was dark but I'm gonna hack, I mean, borrow the cameras at the entrance to see if anyone going in matches our description."

"Sounds good." Greg relented, slightly frustrated that there was no actual evidence. Then he remembered something. "What about the song?"

"What about it?" Lew asked.

"It might have meaning. It's a start. Do we know if the theatre played it or maybe our subject did?"

Jules smiled, glad to finally have a possible lead. "I'll go speak with the supervisor running the show today."

Greg nodded in assent. "Eddie, Sam you got anything?"

"Nothing Boss." Sam responded.

"Boss? You're going to want to hear this." Jules said over her headset. "According to the supervisor, the theater didn't play the song but their system did go haywire right before it started playing. He thinks someone hacked in."

"Awesome!" Spike cheered from the truck.

"Why is that a good thing?" Sam asked confused.

"Because, Samtastic, it means that I can trace it back to whoever did it. To hack you need code and everyone has their own code, like a signature. Now here I go!" Spike began to click away as the team smiled. Good ol' Spike and his computers.

"Boss the building's clear. We're heading your way." Ed said.

"Alright Eddie. The unis got the crowd under control so Ed go give Wordy and Lew some back up. Sam go interview possible witnesses with Jules."

Two 'copy that' were heard as they both went to do as they were told.

"Got it!" Spike's overly excited voice came over their headsets and everyone winced. "So as we learned from the kids, our subject and hacker is a girl. Carrie Levine to be exact. She's 29 and ex technical assistant for the company Johnson & Associates. She was fired for unacceptable behavior about three months ago. Both parents are deceased and no family in the area. I ran her through the facial recognition software and I have her coming into the theater following an elderly couple that matches the kid's description."

Wordy sighed. "Boss are we sure the hacker and the kidnapper are the same person? This can all be mere coincidence. We're not even sure the couple was kidnapped."

"No we're not. You're right Wordy, but in case it is a kidnapping we need to dig until we have more information." He sighed. "Spike run facial recognition inside the theatre and see if Ms Levine is still in the building." He paused. "Jules? Anything from potential witnesses?"

"Nothing boss. Everyone's just spooked but nobody saw anything suspicious."

"Copy." Greg sighed. They needed a lead and soon.

"Boss, I searched for Carrie inside the theatre and didn't find her. But since she went in she must've come out. Unfortunately the hallway's cameras went dark for a period of time. 22 minutes to be exact. So I used that time frame to check street cams and bingo! A masked female is exiting with an elderly couple that matches the descriptions. The shots aren't clear because it's dark out but I spotted the glint of a gun and the streetlamp across the street gives some visibility. Body structure of masked female however does match Carrie Levine."

"Good job Spike. Do you have an address?"

"Yup. It's a cabin in the woods but I got the coordinates. Sending them to your PDAs now." Spike said proudly.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

"LET ME OUT! CARRIE! YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS CARRIE!" Mr. Johnson coughed loudly. His throat was scratchy and his head hurt. Loneliness and fear overwhelmed him. "NORA!" He tried calling for his wife again but no answer. Worry flooded him in waves.

He looked around in vain, the darkness was too strong. There wasn't even a hint of light. He didn't know how long he had been in here. Probably hours. He would see light through the slits of the shed if a day had passed.

He felt around with his feet and decided to give in and sit down. His old feet couldn't hold him up much longer. The ground was dry and dusty. He could smell rust, probably tools. He tried feeling around in his seated position, but only ended up cutting his finger on something sharp. Hatred for Carrie Levine built inside of him steadily.

At the other shed, Mrs. Johnson was crying silent tears of fear and self hatred. Did they hurt Carrie that bad? They were only trying to protect Chris. The girl was volatile and not trustworthy and she was just trying to keep Chris from getting hurt. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized the approach they took was not the best one. She doubted Nate would agree with her. He was against the unorthodox relationship from the start.

"Oh, Chris my boy I miss you so much. I'm so sorry baby. I'm so sorry its our fault your not here with us." She whispered into the lonely shed.

Abruptly, however, the doors opened. She looked around blindly. It was still too dark out, probably midnight and her vision was weak. "Nate?" She whispered with hope.

A hand grabbed her arm, pulling her out into the darkness of the night. She blinked back tears. "Carrie?" No answer. "Carrie? I'm sorry Carrie. I didn't know you had been in so much pain."

Carrie growled. "It's too late for apologies Mrs. Johnson. Chris is gone and it's your fault."

They walked and then suddenly stopped and Mrs. Johnson heard chains rattling. A creaking door and angry shouts followed.

"What is it you want from us?! You took our son and now you want to kill us too?!" Mr. Johnson spouted weakly.

Carrie bristled. "I didn't send him to the army to get killed! You did! YOU took him from ME!"

Mr. Johnson lunged for Carrie and tackled her to the ground. "Run! Nora, run!"

Nora was about to run when a single shot rang out followed by an anguished scream. "Nate!"

"Now get up. Next time it'll hit your brain and not your arm." Carrie spit. She placed the gun at Nora's back. "Let's go. There's something I need to show you."

Mr. Johnson reluctantly led the way, hissing in pain. Blood seeped from the wound in his upper arm, dizzying him. But he kept going, he wouldn't come off as weak.

Carrie led them inside and unhinged a floorboard, revealing a stairwell heading down into a dark basement. "Go!"

Mr. Johnson struggled to stay balanced, his wife sniffling behind him. When he got to the bottom, Carrie flicked on the lights. Two chairs a foot apart were in the middle of the basement. A television set was set up in front of them.

"Sit!" Carrie ordered angrily. Mr. And Mrs. Johnson complied. Carrie zip tied their hands behind them and their feet together.

She approached the television and turned it on. Nora and Nate gasped. On the screen was a young man with dirty blond hair and striking sharp features undermined by the simple outfit, an old gray t-shirt and worn out sweatpants. The young man held a wooden guitar and stared ahead with tears in his eyes. Pain and sadness shone through.

Mrs. Johnson began crying loudly for her son. Mr. Johnson was confused and angry at Carrie. He never received anything from his son after he sent him to the army. But this woman had and it infuriated him.

Tears streamed down Carrie's cheeks. "Look at the pain you caused him. The things he saw...the things he had to do...they broke him. He wasn't made for that. He was so kind and gentle. So in love. But you!" She turned to the couple. "You sent him to that hell hole! You took away his life! He couldn't take it anymore! You killed him! You lied to him!"

"Stop...please...stop. I'm so sorry Chris." Nora whispered and kept repeating those words under her breath.

Mr. Johnson was shaking with fury. Guilt filled him and threatened to suffocate him.

Carrie played the video.

 _Sigh. "Hey Carrie, I um, well I miss you. I will always love you. You know that right?" Another sigh. Chris blinked a couple times. "Anyway I know you don't want to hear from me but," his voice broke,"but I wanted to say goodbye Carrie." Chris took a deep breath and he began playing his guitar and singing._

 _"All I want is nothing more,_  
 _Than to hear you knocking at my door,_  
 _Cause if I could see your face once more,_  
 _I could die a happy man I'm sure._  
 _When you said your last goodbye,_  
 _I died a little bit inside,_  
 _I lay in tears in bed all night,_  
 _Alone without you by my side._  
 _But I you loved me,_  
 _Why'd you leave me?_  
 _Take my body,_  
 _Take my body..."_

On screen, Chris continued singing, his voice breaking and tears flooding his vision. Mrs. Johnson was crying full out, pleading with Carrie to turn it off and telling Chris she was sorry. Mr. Johnson, however, continued to get furious and was vigorously trying to get out of his bounds.

A ringing of Carrie's cellphone surprised them all.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

Greg held the phone as it placed its call to Carrie Levine. According to Wordy, the heat cams showed three people in the basement. Two sitting, one standing. His team and the local unis had cleared the surrounding area. They found two empty sheds and nothing more. They cleared the small cabin and had recently found the trapdoor that led to the basement.

"Please pick up, please pick up," Greg pleaded. No answer. He tried two more times until the phone said it was off.

"I'm not liking this Greg. No vantage for sniper positions, only one entry point, enclosed space. We need her to come to us." Ed said from beside Greg.

"I hear you Eddie but if she wont even answer I can't communicate or ask her to come out." He sighed, hating the idea but knowing it was their only alternative. "We need to go in."

"Boss!" Spike broke through the tension excitedly. "I finally got a hit on our older mystery couple. It took forever since the shots were so grainy and dark, but I finally-"

"Spike!" Lew chastised his best friend. "Get to it!"

"Right, Right. Their names are Nora and Nathan Johnson, owners of Johnson & Associates, were Carrie Levine worked. They had a son, Chris Johnson. Chris was rumored to be having a relationship with Carrie. According to co-workers, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson didn't approve and constantly told their son to end the relationship. So they fired Carrie, and when that didn't work, they enlisted their son in the Army. Chris Johnson committed suicide six weeks ago. The reason is still not clear."

The team listened closely to each detail.

"So that explains why Carrie hates Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. They took her love from her. But is that enough reason to kidnap them?" Jules questioned aloud.

"I don't know Jules, love can make you act irrationally." Greg supplied. "Especially since she just experienced his death. Her emotions might not be in the right place."

"So what's the plan boss? She hasn't fired a shot in the last half hour but that doesn't mean she won't." Wordy interjected.

"I'm going in. Jules grab a shield. Ed, Sam I want you to cover us. Lew, Wordy, make sure no one goes inside," he motioned towards the unis loitering on the perimeter. "Spike keep digging."

Various copies were heard as each member moved to fulfill their task. Jules grabbed a shield and Ed and Sam grabbed their MP5s. They all made their way inside. Jules entered first, shield firmly in place, her glock in hand, Boss beside her and Ed and Sam behind him.

"Carrie Levine! This is Sgt. Parker with the SRU, we're coming in!" No answer. Greg motioned his team to keep moving.

They all filed into the basement, not expecting the scene waiting for them. Nora Johnson was crying silently, eyes shut. Nate Johnson was shaking furiously, his eyes boring into Carrie's eyes, his teeth biting into his lips. They could tell he was in pain. Blood soaked his left arm. He needed medical treatment immediately.

Carrie, however, was softly whispering something to Mr. Johnson in barely contained rage.

A light music, the same song from the theatre filled the room coming from the broken young man on screen. They recognized him as Chris Johnson.

"Carrie? Carrie, my name is Sgt. Parker. Look at me Carrie, I can help you."

Carrie turned towards the police and her eyes widened, surprised to see them there. She raised her gun wildly. "What are you doing here? No! No! I'm not done!" She cried. "Please leave!"

"Carrie why don't you tell me what's going on? I can help you." Greg insisted gently.

"No, you don't understand! You wouldn't understand." Carrie seethed, her surprise replaced by anger.

"Then help me understand Carrie."

Carrie eyed him warily. "Have you ever been in love? Real love? The kind that makes you scared and hurts so much?"

Greg froze. Rule number one in negotiation was to never lie. "No Carrie I haven't. What is it like?"

Carrie laughed with no humor. "Then you don't understand. You have no business being here." She raised her gun to him.

"Carrie, I understand."

Carrie turned to the brunette. She eyed her and saw the sincerity in her eyes. Her gun wavered. "You do?"

"Yeah, Carrie I do." Jules said more confidently. She really shouldn't have but the sight of the broken woman before her reminded her so much of herself. "I understand what it feels like to feel so much love it scares you that you would do anything for that person. You try to keep them at arm's length because you know if they ever broke your heart, you won't be able to live again."

Carrie nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Sam listened to every word Jules said, wondering if she was talking about him. He sure felt that love towards her.

Greg placed a comforting hand on Jules's shoulder, a silent sign of support. Jules passed the shield to Greg and holstered her gun. She raised her hands and took a small step forward.

"Why don't you tell me what happened Carrie?"

Carrie pointed her gun at Mr. Johnson. "He hated me. Chris stole my heart but they thought I was trying to hurt him or take his money. They said I was a gold digger. They fired me and sent Chris to the Army so he wouldn't see me." She cried angrily. "They told him lies and Chris thought I didn't want to see him anymore, he thought I blamed him for losing my job. He left without saying goodbye. Three weeks ago, I received a recording he made a week before he killed himself. He said he loved me...he still loved me... But he couldn't take what he had seen over there..."

"Chris was immature! You were a distraction from his duties! You put ideas in his head about not becoming a business man! You brainwashed him! I sent him to the army to make him strong and to keep him from your lies!" Mr. Johnson raged.

"He...he never...wanted to..to be in the business, Nate," Mrs. Johnson spoke up, "that was what you wanted. You never asked him." Her tears had ran out and now she was just shaking and sniffling.

"Carrie, Carrie, look at me! You need to hold on to Chris's love okay? I know how much it hurts to lose someone. To have them ripped away. But Chris loved you and he wouldn't want you to ruin your life by hurting his parents. They caused him pain and you can fight them by not giving them the satisfaction of feeling that pain." Jules's eyes glistened. "You need to be the person he loves."

Carrie let out an anguished cry. "But it hurts so much! I lost my parents in a car accident and promised to never love again! But Chris...he...he was...was special...I let my walls down and I loved again..." Carrie cried. "It's their fault."

"I know it feels that way Carrie. I get it. When I was 16 my mom died, a drunk driver hit her. My dad became a drunk and I wasn't his princess anymore, I was just a memory of my mom that hurt too much to look at. My brothers were all older and they just abandoned me," her voice broke. "Everyone I loved turned their backs on me. I swore I would never fall again. It hurt too much."

Carrie cried and broke down, the gun clattering on the floor. Jules ran over and hugged her. She shut her eyes and practiced sniper breathing as she offered Carrie comfort.

The team was stunned. They had never heard Jules talk about her past before. They had wondered why she was so guarded but the truth was painful to consider. Greg swallowed the lump at his throat. "Good job team. Well done Jules."

Ed and Sam moved to help Nora and Nate, calling for EMS. Greg lifted the weapon from the floor and handed it over to a detective.

Jules and Carrie remained on the floor in an embrace, oblivious to the activity around them. The song gently played in the background as Carrie sang it brokenly.

Jules doesn't know how long it took but Carrie finally calmed down, her singing only whispers. Greg placed a hand on Jules's shoulder.

Jules nodded and got up with Carrie. They exited the basement and walked outside. Jules walked her to the cop car. Carrie hugged her. "Thank you. I'm never going to forgive them but I'm gonna live like Chris wanted me too."

Jules nodded. Her eyes downcast. Carrie noticed.

"Love hurts but it's beautiful when you let yourself feel it." Carrie said sadly.

Jules glanced around and saw Sam. "I don't think I can take more pain. Love always ends and hurts twice as much."

Carrie nodded sadly and followed her line of sight. "He cares about you. He reminds me of the way Chris used to look at me." Carrie looked back at the younger brunette. "Promise me you'll give it another chance. Give love a chance."

A tear slipped down Jules's cheek. "I promise."

Jules hugged Carrie one last time before the unis came to take her away. She walked to where her team was congregated. They all gave her a gentle hug, a small gesture of comfort and support.

Her eyes locked with Sam's for a split second. She smiled. She would give love another chance.

 **FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP**

 _Two years later..._

Jules looked around at her family. Two years ago she would have never imagined she could feel so much love for so many people. Their yard was filled with Teams One and Three and their families. She rubbed her six month old belly. "I love you baby."

Greg approached her. "How you feeling?"

"I'm happy boss. I really am." Tears filled her eye and she laughed. "Hormones."

Greg laughed with her. He was glad everything happened the way it did. A week after the call with Carrie Levine, Sam and Jules had approached him explaining that they had fallen in love. He had been shocked and skeptical at first. Eddie hadn't liked the idea. Nevertheless, the two snipers were determined to be together and Greg didn't have the heart to pull them away. Their love was genuine. He spoke with the commander, who was reasonably furious but expressed he couldn't lose two of the best officers he had so he transferred Sam to team 3. Slowly, they had all warmed up to the idea and enjoyed seeing them together. It was beautiful.

A year ago Sam had married Jules and now they were expecting, adding another member to their family. Greg was glad Jules and Sam had found that ever elusive true love.

"Hey boss!" Sam approached and hugged Greg. He gave Jules a tender kiss. "How you feeling?"

"I'm great. But hungry."

Greg laughed. "I'll go see if Eddie is done with that steak." He walked away with a smile, giving the couple some privacy.

Sam wrapped his arms around Jules from behind, placing his hands on her growing belly. "I love you so much."

Jules turned in his arms. He leaned down to kiss her passionately. "I love you. It's scary but I'm willing to risk it to be with you. Carrie was right. Love is beautiful." Her eyes misted. "I never want to lose you...love wasn't the deal."

"Hey, hey." Sam put his hands on her cheeks. "You're never ever going to lose me. I'm glad love became part of the deal because without it...without you...I'd be lost."

He engulfed her in his arms, her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. Everything faded to the background leaving only them, their baby, and so much love.

 _"If I was dead, and my eyes blind at the roots of flowers, wept into nothing, I swear your love would raise me out of my grave, in my flesh and blood, like Lazarus; hungry for this, and this, and this, your living kiss."_  
 _\- Carol Ann Duffy_


End file.
